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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a singular objective: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He achieved that goal. Today, in retirement, Brady has explored various pursuits. He works as a commentator for Fox. He's engaged in development ventures in the UK. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to Saudi Arabia. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's post-career activities appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. Alongside his other roles, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after enduring a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a underperforming team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time action in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a season record for any franchise this season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for the majority of the campaign. Any way you slice it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The architect of this current situation was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last summer, and each one has backfired. Those moves have left the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless team in the league.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship, to manage a long slog back up the league table. He was expected to restore the team to relevance and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Instead, Carroll is facing the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Franchise Turmoil

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, naturally. Mark Davis is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to act as general manager. He greenlit a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including trading a third-round pick for Geno Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing O-line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning OC in the NFL. And he approved handing a flaky blocking unit – the foundation for that coach and running back – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It has become a disaster. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and resilient. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, waiting for the plays to the end of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the impressive first-year players that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at running back and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a full week to get ready, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and showing flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class represent promise. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises understand their position in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a frisky playoff team, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the clear indications otherwise, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing young players to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a weak point. Rookie receivers two young talents have combined for nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out grizzled vets on the defensive side over rookies in need of reps.

Uncertain Future

Where is the future direction? Will the coach return or the GM or the quarterback? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division filled with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have paths. The New York Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more problematic than being bad in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are building, or who will call the shots in the summer.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through intense dedication. The Raiders could use more than limited attention of it.